Eric rubbed his nose and remarked, "I don't know much about Shadow, and I haven't fought with him, so I dare not guarantee anything. If he's on par with your mentor, I think I can hold my own against him to some extent.""That won't do." Ruth sneered. "My mentor suggested we keep Shadow in Salt City, preferably eliminating him directly!"Eric frowned. He never dared to guarantee such things. The more he learned, the more he realized his shortcomings. If Shadow was on par with Pierce, he would be a legend. Faced with someone of such caliber, he had no absolute certainty of winning."Better call your mentor here," Eric said, concerned. "Playing with fire is self-destructive. I can't guarantee that I can deal with Shadow. Moreover, based on the intel, when Shadow deals with you, he may also take the opportunity to target me and my wife. By then, I can only protect my wife, not you."Upon hearing that, Sylvia couldn't help but laugh. She believed Eric could protect her, but adding Ruth
Sylvia harbored a suspicion about her body. Why, despite her desire for children, had she not conceived in over a year?Her love for children wasn't just altruistic—she had invested significant funds in establishing and supporting orphanages.Eric had conducted a health check, assuring her that her body was in good condition. He attempted to comfort her and offered, "Maybe the right time hasn't come yet."Although Sylvia nodded, recognizing Eric's attempt at reassurance, the question lingered—what could they do?Their busy lives left them only with the emptiness and quietude that greeted them upon returning home. Yet, neither felt a pressing urgency to expand their family.-Early each morning, after breakfast, they headed to the Innova Group.Meanwhile, Ruth returned to her residence and tried to steal a moment for a brief nap.However, the latest information prevented her from finding rest. The elusive Shadow from the Crimson Order had arrived in Salt City, but after enteri
Michael had a square face and wore an expensive suit, exuding an aura of dignity that clearly indicated his familiarity with high positions.Even Andy felt a bit uneasy. If someone claimed Michael was the CEO of an international company, Andy would believe it.On the other hand, Sylvia and Eric remained calm.Sylvia was born into a wealthy family and the former CEO of Williams Corp. Naturally, she had encountered all kinds of extraordinary people. As for Eric, he had met a myriad of individuals.The three of them sat down, and an assistant brought coffee while placing a copy of information about Michael in front of each. They had already read his details and didn't need to review them again.Sylvia said, "Mr. Otega, we've reviewed your impressive resume. You should know that our executive salaries are not as high as those of international companies. Why choose the Innova Group?"Eric and Andy were also curious. Straightforward questions could simplify the interview process.Mich
Once Michael left, Sylvia asked, "What are your thoughts on him?"Michael was undeniably a rare talent. He resembled a high-performance USB drive, always ready to execute and save the Innova Group the effort of nurturing talented individuals.It would be dishonest to claim Sylvia was not interested. Given Michael's experience, he was poised to instigate positive changes upon joining the company."He's genuinely impressive, a rare find," Eric remarked. "An executive of his caliber from an international company is bound to bring extensive experience, and his proposed terms are easily attainable. I believe we should seriously consider hiring him.""Nevertheless, we must exercise caution. Taking necessary precautions is essential," Sylvia added.She wasn't foolish enough to place complete trust in Michael.After Eric and Andy concurred, they directed the assistant to verify Michael's information. An hour later, the assistant unearthed relevant details: Michael had indeed resigned f
As the operation was about to commence, someone said in concern, "Boss! Shadow has already arrived in Salt City. What if we encounter him..."This stood as their primary worry. No elaboration on Shadow's strength was necessary—even the combined force of all twelve of them couldn't match him.Hearing this, Ruth checked the time. "Why hasn't that bastard arrived yet?"The group was taken aback. Who was the bastard their leader referred to? Just as someone was about to inquire, her phone rang. It was Eric."Where are you?" Ruth said indignantly."At the hotel entrance. Where are you guys?"Looking out the window, Ruth noticed Eric standing right at the hotel's main entrance. With a face full of scars, he was hard to ignore!"Get in quickly! Fifth floor, Room 6, hurry!" she shouted and hung up.Eric smirked.Upon reaching the room, he discovered everyone was already geared up."Because of you, our operation is delayed by half an hour! Do you know how many variables can change in
The sharp steel claws, though rare, served as lethal weapons.Had Ruth engaged in a fistfight with the stubbled man without knowledge of his deadly weapon, she would have suffered significant harm. At best, her fingers might break, and at worst, her entire hand could be disabled.Ruth now realized that Eric had saved her—she hadn't noticed the stubbled man's weapon. However, she wasn't appreciative of Eric's actions.The others were restrained, and the stubbled man coughed violently, spitting out a mouthful of blood."A legend?" He looked at Eric in horror.Only a legend could incapacitate him with a single punch.The stubbled man had thought it would be easy to take down Salt City since the Crimson Order's legendary Shadow had come.Unexpectedly, Salt City had its own legend, and they had joined forces with the Combat Department. Could this be a trap set up by the Combat Department?They aimed to keep Ruth in Salt City, unaware that a legend was already guarding the city. The
Eric was uncertain about the exact number of formidable characters within the Crimson Order. The thought of Shadow, the enigmatic and elusive legend, unsettled him even more."Even grandmasters were captured?" Brook looked terrified. "Eric, who are you helping? The military doesn't have such capabilities, right?"Despite there being no grandmasters in Salt City, the operation Eric participated in had successfully apprehended several.Brook found it peculiar that Eric wasn't more surprised."Battle Department. I'm still not very clear about them since I just joined. The Battle Department deployed as many as eight grandmasters in the operation tonight!"Brook was astonished. "My goodness! Grandmasters have become so common?!"In his understanding, grandmasters were already the pinnacle of martial arts. Yet, the Battle Department had mobilized eight of them and captured individuals of this caliber tonight. It was too terrifying."But it's strange. How did Salt City gather so many e
The discussion concluded, signaling the end of the workday.Andy intended to host Eric and Sylvia for dinner, and ask Elly to prepare a meal. However, as they descended the stairs, they unexpectedly encountered Ruth.Ruth's gaze toward Eric piqued Andy's curiosity. He playfully patted Eric and asked, "Eric, who is this beauty, and why does she keep looking at you?"With a raised eyebrow, Eric remained silent as Ruth approached."Considering your care for me last night, I'll make an exception and treat you and your wife to a meal," she declared, harboring no desire to owe favors, especially to Eric, whom she despised.While Sylvia stayed silent, Eric calmly replied, "Ms. McClain, I'm afraid I have dinner plans tonight."Ruth was angered and prepared to retort, but her attention suddenly shifted behind Eric and Sylvia.Using Eric as a cover, she concealed herself. Perplexed, Eric turned around to see Michael exiting the building, offering a smile as he departed."What's going on?